Water Conservation Public Notice
With our drier than normal winter, dry warm spring and early summer, the City and our ground water supplies are at risk of overuse. The demand on our aquifer can be greater than the amount supplied by rain and snowmelt. Water conservation is an important measure to help with, due to increases with demand on the City’s potable water resource.
Keep in mind that it is often cheaper, easier, and safer to use less water and there are many ways for homeowners to conserve water. It is important for our consumers to use water wisely to assure an adequate supply of water for our community. Following are some conservation measures will help reduce water usage during hot, dry weather:
Outdoor and Lawn watering tips:
- The average lawn requires only one inch of water per week to stay green. Overwatering doesn’t improve your lawn’s health and results in runoff and water waste. Place a series of shallow containers throughout your lawn. Turn the sprinklers on and water your grass. When you’re finished, measure the water in the dishes. Adjust the time until the water is about one inch deep.
- Regularly check and adjust your sprinklers. Water only your lawn and not the driveway, streets and sidewalks.
- In order to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation, the best time to water your lawn is in the mornings between 6am-9am.
- Mow your lawn with blades set high; grass that is 2”-3” tall promotes a healthier root system and helps retain soil moisture.
- Consider replacing lawn with native plants to use less water, fewer chemicals, and eliminate mowing.
- Apply mulch around plants and trees to retain moisture and inhibit weed growth.
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks
Indoor water conservation tips:
- Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket. Each flush wastes water.
- Check toilets and faucets for leaks and fix any problems.
- Run your dishwasher only when it's full.
- Wash only full loads of laundry or use the proper water level setting for your load size.
- Don't leave the water running when brushing your teeth or shaving. With the tap running at full force, shaving takes 20 gallons of water, teeth-brushing takes 10.
- Take shorter showers or use less water in your bath. A full bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water. A five-minute shower using a water-conserving showerhead will use just 15 to 25 gallons.
- Consider installing water-efficient toilets, faucets and showerheads as a water-saving investment.
